engleski

Age, growth and mortality rate of horse mackerel, Trachurus trachurus (L.), living in the eastern central Adriatic

Age, growth and mortality rate were analysed for horse mackerel collected in the eastern central Adriatic from 1996 to 2000 during spawning season (March-May). A total of 2304 individuals were collected The total length of sampled individuals ranged from 10.3 to 37.3 cm and weight from 6.04 to 437.5 g. Age was determined by the sagitta otolith rings reading. Age ranged from 1-8. The length-weihht relationship, which differs between sexes, was estimated for males b = 2.9929, a = 0.0087 (N = 599); females b = 3.0598, a = 0.0069 (N = 560) anf whole sample b = 3.0198, a = 0.0080 (N = 1454) indicating isometric growth for male and whole sample and positive allometric growth for females. Growth parameters for males L = 38.11 cm, K = 0.215, t0 = -0.39; females L = 38.16 cm, K = 0.203, t0 = -0.40; whole sample L = 37.68 cm, K = 0.230, t0 = -0.30 were calculated. Natural mortality was found to be M = 0.46 1/year, fishing mortality F = 0.27 1/year and total mortality Z = 0.73 1/year (Z/K = 3.174). The exploitation rate E = 0.38 suggests that the stock was relatively highly exploited.

Horse mackerel; age; growth; mortality; Adriatic Sea

nije evidentirano